Condensed by Steve Boyles, OSU Beef Extension Specialist

Pre-arrival management practices can help reduce death loss and cattle sickness in feedlots. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) conducted the Feedlot 2011 study, an in-depth look at large feedlots (1,000 head or more capacity) in 12 States.
Large feedlots accounted for 82 percent of the January 1, 2011, inventory of feedlot cattle in all U.S.

feedlots but only 2.8 percent of all feedlots. The 12 participating States accounted for over 95 percent of the inventory of cattle in large feedlots (NASS, “Cattle on Feed” February 18, 2011).

As part of the NAHMS Feedlot 2011 study, operators were asked to assess a list of six pre-arrival management practices as extremely effective, very effective, somewhat effective, or not effective for reducing sickness or death loss. All six listed pre-arrival management practices were deemed to be extremely or very effective by at least 71.0 percent of feedlots.

The majority of feedlot operators sometimes received pre-arrival information on incoming cattle. However, a substantial percentage still lacked access to such information. Operators on a higher percentage of feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 to 7,999 head (38 percent) reported always having access to pre-arrival information compared with 26 percent of operators on feedlots with a capacity of 8,000 or more head. From these data, it is apparent that limitations still exist when attempting to pass information on pre-arrival practices to feedlots. You may view the complete report at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahms/feedlot/downloads/feedlot2011/Feed11_is_Prearrival.pdf